Voicing the new piano

[Tom Servinsky]

That's because someone has done all the breaking of the felt prior to you
seeing it. If you have ever had to installed a fresh set of Yamaha hammers
out of the box...you'll know.  I think this is where Popeye got his arm
strength!
Tom Servinsky,RPT

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of David Ilvedson
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 8:34 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano


I don't find newer Yamaha hammers to be that hard...needles go in easily.  I
do voice with 1 needle only so that may be the difference.

David I.



----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
From: SUSAN P SWEARINGEN <ssclabr8@flash.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 18:05:53 -0500
Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano

>Hi everyone,

>I remember talking to David Durbin from Yamaha about steaming hammers and
he
>wasn't too keen on it.  He said that he much preferred traditional needling
>to steaming.  In my experience, the Yamaha hammers are extremely hard and
>very difficult to needle.  I am interested in the steaming procedure but
>have heard that it is very easy to oversteam hammers and once you've done
>that, they are ruined.  Can anyone give a specific procedure for hammer
>steaming?

>Corte Swearingen
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre" <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 2:01 PM
>Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano


>> Hi David,
>>                  A very light steaming over the crown every 6 months can
>> greatly extend the life of those hammers. We have done it with some U1's
>in
>> University practice studios for 5 yrs now, and no reshaping as of yet.
The
>> light steaming will just pop the grooves out. Dry iron after to set the
>felt.
>> Less invasive than needling.
>> Regards Roger
>>
>> At 11:28 PM 7/10/02 -0700, you wrote:
>> >These are SF Ballet's studio pianos.  Played by high level musicians for
>> >high level dance.  Classes always use pianists and pianos.  We just
>> >swapped our 20 year old Kawais for the Yamahas.  I'm looking for some
>> >discussion on what is happening with the piano hammer over time,
>> >especially with the new hammer.  I think I'll probably hold off on the
>> >Ronsen hammers for awhile...;-]  I'm not particularly keen on steam but
>as
>> >I get desperate who knows?  Right now the pianos sound wonderful and I
>> >have this fantasy of keeping them that way...;-]
>> >
>> >David I.
>> >
>> >
>> >----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
>> >From: David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net>
>> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>> >Received: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:53:43 -0700
>> >Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
>> >
>> > >What are the expectations on the pianos and what are they used for?
>Are
>> > >they practice pianos?  Teaching pianos?  New pianos or old pianos?  My
>> > >experience is that heavily used Yamaha's are difficult to keep voiced
>to an
>> > >acceptable level without less traditional methods such as steaming.
>> > >Steaming is also an easy method for voicing down the uprights where
the
>> > >hammers are not so needle accessible.  Overall the pianos will benefit
>from
>> > >string seating, proper hammer shaping and fitting.  If the clangy
>rattly
>> > >sounds disappear when you mute the duplex on the tuning pin side (on
>the
>> > >grands), and if you are not steaming, shoulder needling followed by
>single
>> > >needles inserted off the strike point straight down parallel to the
>moulding
>> > >will eliminate those noises).  Heavily used Yamaha hammers are a
>challenge.
>> > >A more radical move would be changing the hammers to a nice soft
Ronsen
>> > >hammer which will do wonders for voicing stability and rounding out
the
>> > >tone.
>> >
>> > >Generally, the hammer will compact most quickly over the crown, more
>slowly
>> > >in the shoulder.
>> >
>> > >David Love
>> >
>> >
>> > >----- Original Message -----
>> > >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net>
>> > >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>> > >Sent: July 10, 2002 5:41 PM
>> > >Subject: Voicing the new piano
>> >
>> >
>> > >List,
>> >
>> > >I would interested in hearing input about maintaining new pianos.
>> > >Particularly voicing.  I have a new fleet of 9 Yamaha pianos (is that
a
>> > >fleet?) I am servicing on a very regular basis...carte blanc.  1 C5, 3
>C2s,
>> > >3 U1s and 2 P22s.  Another P22 in the near future.  These pianos are
>played
>> > >6 days a week for several hours each day.
>> >
>> > >How does playing affect the new hammer, or any hammer?  Where is the
>> > >compaction taking place?  What do you do with the clangy, rattlely
>sound in
>> > >the trebIe when it shows in ugly face.  I have my own techniques, but
>I'm
>> > >interested in what others do.
>> >
>> > >Thanks in advance
>> >
>> > >David I.
>>
>> Roger
>>